Press Releases

One hundred years later, the figurehead of Captain Robert Falcon Scott’s ship, Terra Nova, now forms the centrepiece of a new exhibition at the National Waterfront Museum in Swansea.

From Coal to Pole: Wales and Antarctica will be on display until Sunday 10 October 2010. On tour from National Museum Cardiff, the exhibition features many interesting objects from

including letters and postcards from the expedition team, a sailor’s hat band, a stuffed Emperor penguin and even a tin of cocoa!

Also on show are some of the rocks collected by geologists on the expedition, on loan from the British Antarctic Survey.

The story will also be told through a series of images of the Terra Nova, autographs and original film footage from the expedition.

Speaking about the exhibition, Curator Tom Sharpe from Amgueddfa Cymru – National Museum Wales’ Geology Department said: “The figurehead of the Terra Nova, removed in 1913 when the ship returned to Cardiff and given to the museum in 1932, will be the centrepiece of the exhibition, and we’re delighted to be able to display it in the context of a range of other objects related to the expedition from our collections.

“The display has brought all the museum’s departments together to present a snap shot of Scott’s expedition including a penguin from Zoology to Antarctic rocks from Geology, photographs and paintings from Art and even a fuel block from our Industry collections."

The exhibition also explores other Welsh links with Antarctica – a geologist from St Fagans, a stowaway from Newport and the Antarctic work of a zoologist from St Brides Major who later became Director of the National Museum.

Perhaps the most poignant story is that of Petty Officer Edgar Evans from Rhossili in Gower, one of the team of five who made it to the South Pole with Scott himself only to die on the return journey.

Exhibition Officer at the National Waterfront Museum, Andrew Deathe said: “In this age of international travel it is easy to forget that, only one hundred years ago, a journey like this to the other side of the earth was such a dangerous and incredible thing to undertake. It is always exciting to tell stories of great human achievement in the Museum, and we are especially proud of the strong Welsh links with this particular adventure."

ENDS

Notes to editor

From Coal to Pole: Wales and Antarctica will be on display until Sunday 10 October 2010.

For more information, please contact Marie Szymonski on 01792 683970.

Admission to Amgueddfa Cymru - National Museum Wales sites is free thanks to the support of the Welsh Assembly Government.

Amgueddfa Cymru operates seven national museums across Wales.

• National Museum Cardiff

• St Fagans: National History Museum

• National Roman Legion Museum, Caerleon

• Big Pit: National Coal Museum

• National Wool Museum, Dre-fach

• National Slate Museum, Llanberis

• National Waterfront Museum, Swansea